The Holy Priest-Martyr Eutyches; Pidhoretsk Icon of the Mother of God (1772)
2 Corinthians 10:7-18; Mark 3:28-35.
Read Mark 3:28-35
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus gives us this truly sobering teaching: “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”. Christ’s words can lead us to wonder – is there truly a sin we can commit that is unforgivable? If so, how can we square this notion with the idea of a God who all loving, all merciful and whom we continually hymn in the Holy Liturgy as the “lover of mankind”?
In order to understand what Jesus is saying here, we need to look at the context in which this teaching is given. Jesus has been performing great miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit; casting out demons, setting people free from spiritual bondage and oppression. Seeing this, His opponents, do not honor Him as did the man born blind (ref), nor do they give praise God for His great love for man in freeing people from the power of demons (cf Matthew 9:8). Rather they actually accuse Him of being possessed, assert that it is by the ruler of the demons He casts out demons (Mark 3:22).
This state of affairs brings to mind the warning of the Holy Prophet Isaiah, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter (Isa. 5:20)”.
Following the teaching of our asectical tradition, we learn that calling good evil, and evil good is the ultimate state of spiritual delusion (πλάνη). It is an existential reality – not a legal one. One in such a state is unable to be forgiven, not because of the nature of the sin they commit, but rather because they are unable to recognize the mercy and goodness of the God who offers forgiveness to them. They may consider the very idea of turning to God in repentance as weakness, foolishness or a psychological crutch. The very idea of repentance is repugnant to them.
This reality is described for us in the sixteenth chapter of the book of the Apocalypse where we see God’s wrath poured out as bowls and we here the constant refrain: “they refused to repent and glorify Him…they refused to repent of what they had done.”
As we reflect on the words of our Savior in today’s Gospel, let us recognize that there is no sin so great that it cannot be forgiven if only we repent from our hearts and turn to our loving God for mercy. As Elder Joseph the Hesychast taught, “A saving medicine for the cure of your wounded soul is sincere repentance, done with humility and contrition of heart, with tears and sighs, with hate and aversion towards sin, and a firm decision to no longer sin – God’s compassion is greater than your sins.